Physical condition, psychological status, and posttraumatic stress disorder among recovered COVID-19 subjects: A mediation analysis

Kai Zhou; Hongbo Chi; Jing Wang; Yufen Zheng; Juan Pan; Die Yu; Jiaqin Xu; Hongguo Zhu; Jun Li; Shiyong Chen; Xinzhuan Zhao; Xiaomai Wu; Bo Shen; Tao-Hsin Tung; Chengwen Luo

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.918679

Physical condition, psychological status, and posttraumatic stress disorder among recovered COVID-19 subjects: A mediation analysis

Front Psychiatry. 2022 Sep 6:13:918679. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.918679. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Kai Zhou¹, Hongbo Chi¹, Jing Wang¹, Yufen Zheng¹, Juan Pan², Die Yu², Jiaqin Xu¹, Hongguo Zhu¹, Jun Li¹, Shiyong Chen¹, Xinzhuan Zhao¹, Xiaomai Wu³, Bo Shen¹, Tao-Hsin Tung⁴, Chengwen Luo⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China.
² Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Linhai, China.
³ Department of Respiratory Medicine, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China.
⁴ Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China.

Abstract

The physical condition of individuals who contracted COVID-19 had a profound influence on mitigating the physical and psychological impact of the disease and the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Little attention has been focused on the influence of physical condition on PTSD among recovered COVID-19 subjects. This study explored the relationship between physical and psychological status and PTSD and the potential mechanisms. Questionnaires were completed by 73 (50.7%, 73/144) COVID-19 recovered subjects who were diagnosed in Taizhou, Zhejiang, China. We conducted a face-to-face survey from January 17 to March 10, 2020. The mediation analysis approach was applied in this research. Our data show that recovered COVID-19 subjects who were in better physical condition exhibited fewer psychological problems [B (95%CI), (-1.65 -3.04, -0.26)] and lower PTSD [B (95%CI), -6.13 (-9.43, -2.83)]. In addition, the worse the psychological status of recovered COVID-19 subjects was, the stronger the PTSD (B [95%CI], 0.58 [0.02, 1.14]). Moreover, psychological status could significantly mediate the impact of physical condition on PTSD (_β₁θ2 = -0.87). Together, COVID-19 recovered subjects who have better physical condition could decrease their PTSD, and the worse the physical condition of COVID-19 recovered subjects would increase their psychological problems. Our finding about psychological status could significantly mediate the impact of the physical condition on PTSD might be useful for medical institutions and the government seeking to help with the follow-up rehabilitation training of recovered COVID-19 subjects.

Keywords: COVID-19; PTSD; mediation analysis; physical condition; psychological status.